NON IMMIGRANT B-1 VISA

General Overview Of
Business Visitor B-1 Visa

In general, B-1 visas are for business professionals for the purpose
of conducting business related
activities. This does not grant an employment permit and cannot be
used to seek employment while in the United
States. Business visitors under B1 visa may not be compensated by a
U.S. entity for work performed during their visit.
Any compensation for such work must be paid by a foreign entity. They
may be reimbursed by the U.S. entity for incidental
or out of pocket expenses. Some of the generic travel purposes a B1
visa may include:

Consult with business associates.

Attend conventions or conferences.

Settle estates.

Negotiate contracts.

Provide or receive training.

Give lectures or speak at business events.

Perform independant research.

Below is a partial list of key groupings for which a business
professional may be permitted to enter the United States under a B-1 business visa:

Professional Athletes:

Athletes and team members who wish to enter the United States as
members of a foreign based athletic team to compete with
another sports team shall be admitted with B1 business visa. However, the salary of the team
and its players must be earned in a foreign country
and they cannot be paid by a U.S. based entity, except for prize money
for participation in a tournament or sporting event.
The team should be a member of an international sports league or the
sporting activities involved must have an international
dimension. Players or team members may try-out for a professional
team, but they cannot remain in the U.S. playing on a
U.S. team under this visa.

Business Venture &
Investor Seeking Investment:

Business ventures or potential investors who wish to make an
investment in businesses or properties based in the United
States, may be granted a non-immigrant business visitor B1 visa if
their purpose is to survey the potential business or
property. However, they cannot remain in the United States to manage
the business under this visa. For potential investors
who seek to live in the United States and manage a business, the following types of visas might be more suitable:

L-1A Visa - International Managers

E-1 Visa - Treaty Traders

E-2 Visa - Treaty
Investors

EB-5 Visa - Immigrant Investors

Conferences, Meetings,
Trade Shows, Expositions, and Business Events:

Business professionals may travel to the United States under B-1
business visitors visa for research, education, or other
business purposes. They may perform work that is directly connected to
the business event, but they cannot receive salary
from the U.S. based company.

Sales and Service
Technicians:

Sales professionals may visit the United States under business
vistors B-1 visa to take orders, and negotiate & sign
contracts for products made outside the United States. Service
technicians may visit the United States to install, service,
or repair commercial or industrial equipment to a U.S. entity by a
non-US company when specifically required by the purchase
contract.

Disclaimer:
The information provided at Immigration Lawyers LA
is not legal advice, and it's only meant as general information on legal immigration issues commonly encountered.
We are not a law firm and we should not be used as a substitute for an attorney or a law firm. All communications between
you and Immigration Lawyers LA are protected by our Privacy Policy. However, they are not
protected by the attorney-client privilege
or work product doctrine.
Immigration Lawyers Los Angeles cannot provide legal advice and should only be used as a reference to legal resources related to
immigration issues. Please note that your access to and use of this site is subject to our
Terms of Use.